1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector and a method for manufacturing the optical connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Optical communication is known as a system for achieving high speed large capacity communication. Optical fibers, film-type optical waveguides or the like are used as optical waveguides for optical communication. An optical fiber is formed of glass or a resin. The optical fiber has a clad that covers a periphery of a core formed at a center part thereof to allow light to transmit through the core. An optical waveguide such as a flexible polymer optical waveguide has multiple cores arranged in parallel inside a film formed of a resin.
Typically, an optical connector is used for connecting an optical fiber or an optical waveguide. The optical connector may be an MT (Mechanically Transferable) type connector that allows multiple cores of an optical fiber to be collectively connected, or a PMT (Polymer Mechanically Transferable) type connector to which an optical waveguide is fixed and connected. In this case, data transmission by way of optical communication can be performed between the optical fiber and the optical waveguide by connecting the MT type connector and the PMT type connector.    [Patent Document 1]: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2003-232963    [Patent Document 2]: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-184429    [Patent Document 3]: Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2004-258407
For an optical connector (e.g., PMT optical connector) to which an optical waveguide is fixed and connected, optical loss may occur at a connecting part between the optical connector and the MT connector and communication characteristics may be degraded unless the optical waveguide is connected to the optical connector at a desired position. Thus, it is not preferable to connect the optical waveguide to the PMT connector in such manner.